Should I leave my steady job and pursue my dreams? 02/12/17

Dear Tina: I recently placed in the top 15 of the Miss M—— pageant, on my first try! I've just turned 25, and I'm smart and motivated, with a finance degree. I've been in the same analyst position at a Fortune 500 company since I was a junior in college.

But here's the thing: I absolutely thrived on my double-workout regimen for my pageant preparation. I loved it! I loved being on stage! And I'm suddenly bored to tears in my cubicle. I now have a nagging feeling in my soul that I'm not fulfilling my purpose in life—that my true calling is helping people become stronger.

I'm in agony with this dilemma! With the debt from college forever looming, the idea of going back to school to obtain a bachelor's in exercise science seems financially irresponsible (something I should know about!). But I dream of owning my own gym and having a list full of clients. Do I stay safe in my cubicle? Or get the degree? It seems like an impossible decision.

P.S. I included a photo. That's me, backstage at the pageant! —Fit and Frustrated

My response: Hii Whaaaaaat? You're sensational! I never saw a selfie so happy! Forget your "impossible decision." It's done. It's over. You didn't marry your finance degree. You didn't take that cubicle for better or for worse. The moment you walked onto that pageant stage looking ripped and rosy, you changed the way you saw your future. And when you changed the way you saw your future, you changed.

Stay in your job and take a personal trainer certification course from a nationally recognized organization (it will run around $600). Once you're certified, you can train private clients while earning your new degree. Good luck!